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Bolt doesn't grab cartridge when barrel pointed downwards ....

T

timers15

Member
I have a Yugo M48. If I charge when the barrel is pointed downward, the cartridge slides out of the magazine when hit by the bolt. Gravity pulls the cartridge ahead of the bolt and the extractor fails to engage.
If the rifle is level or pointing up, the bolt grabs the cartridge correctly.
So far I have only experimented with snap caps.

Uh, so, is this like how its supposed to work? Or do I have some issue?

Thanks everyone.

I've had this M48 for years. Originally it was bought with the intent to fry it with corrosive cheap ammo. Cheap gun, cheap ammo right?
But I looked at it and it looked back at me and I felt bad for shooting corrosive. I said sorry. Now it's only for non-corrosive.
 
Shouldn't operate like that. Extractor should hold the case rim somewhat firmly against the bolt face. I suspect that the extractor is weak or deformed such that it is not exerting sufficient lateral pressure against the cartridge rim. I would try this quick fix: Remove the extractor and place between two blocks of wood with the inside facing up. Then push against the center with your thumb or another piece of wood. Purpose is to restore the bow to the extractor profile.
 
GEM said:
Shouldn't operate like that. Extractor should hold the case rim somewhat firmly against the bolt face. I suspect that the extractor is weak or deformed such that it is not exerting sufficient lateral pressure against the cartridge rim. I would try this quick fix: Remove the extractor and place between two blocks of wood with the inside facing up. Then push against the center with your thumb or another piece of wood. Purpose is to restore the bow to the extractor profile.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I'll try that. Also I have a new extractor on order just in case.
 
Also, are you saying the cartridge free falls forward when acted on by the bolt? The spring in the magazine should keep pressure on it until it’s clear of the lips
 
biggymu said:
Also, are you saying the cartridge free falls forward when acted on by the bolt? The spring in the magazine should keep pressure on it until it’s clear of the lips
Click to expand...
This is exactly what's happening. The bolt dislodges it from the magazine but before the extractor can grab it falls forward. I'm going to try adjusting/replacing the extractor.
 
timers15 said:
This is exactly what's happening. The bolt dislodges it from the magazine but before the extractor can grab it falls forward. I'm going to try adjusting/replacing the extractor.
Click to expand...
Sounds like a weak follower spring to me, or a incorrect/defective follower. That cartridge should be held against its corresponding feed lip in the receiver until the bolt strips it from the magazine. Tilting the muzzle downward should have no effect, gravity shouldn't cause it to slide out of the magazine.
 
Are you sure the follower spring is installed correctly? Not backwards!
Both ends should be engaged (slid into) the floor plate and follower.
 
I put in a new extractor and the situation is greatly improved. I'm going to check the follower spring because it seems weak to me. Snapcaps work almost 100%, but short nosed real ammo the first round caught the edge of the breech and all the rounds in the magazine became jumbled. I'm not sure if this is a snub nose ammo problem or the spring is weak.

Hopefully I can take it to the range tomorrow!

Thanks everyone for your help!
 
I had a bent extractor on my Gew88; it wouldn't grab the casings. got that straightened out and it's fine. I also had a DOT44 that wouldn't engage the last round. A new follower spring fixed that problem.
t
 
timers15 said:
This is exactly what's happening. The bolt dislodges it from the magazine but before the extractor can grab it falls forward. I'm going to try adjusting/replacing the extractor.
Click to expand...

It's the magazine follower spring that holds the top cartridge with positive pressure against the feed lips. This friction must be overcome during the forward stroke of the bolt for correct feeding to occur.

You mention trying the feed with a single snap cap, but loaded rounds have a different coefficient of friction and will behave differently in the magazine,
 
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Happy to report that the new extractor made the rifle function flawlessy at the range Saturday! On a fun note the guy next to me had a G43.
Thanks everyone for your suggestions.
 
For future reference for members.

Pull the bolt from your Mauser 98, holding the bolt horizontal slide a cartridge up on the bolt face. The extractor should hold the cartridge in place, with a little movement.

If it does not, inspect the leading edge of the extractor claw, and verify that no damage or modifications are present.

As GEM stated, you can, *slightly* bend the extractor to gain additional engagement.
 
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So gravity was stripping the top cartridge from the magazine when the muzzle was tilted downward, and installing a different extractor somehow cured that problem?
 
R.W. Parker said:
So gravity was stripping the top cartridge from the magazine when the muzzle was tilted downward, and installing a different extractor somehow cured that problem?
Click to expand...
No, the extractor was not retaining the cartridge as it was stripped from the magazine.
 
The timing certainly matters as to when the case advances independent of the bolt. The Mauser design releases the cartridge from being captive by the feed rails about half way, by this time, the case rim will have started to be engaged by the extractor. If it is not retained by the extractor, and is effected by gravity, it will race ahead of the bolt.
 
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